View of St Jorge Castle from Bairro Alto NZ5_5487

Human occupation of the castle hill dates to at least the 8th century BC, while the oldest fortifications on the site date from the 2nd century BC. The imposing fortification was occupied successively by Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, and Moors, before its conquest by the Portuguese in the 1147 Siege of Lisbon. Since the 12th century, the castle has variously served as a royal palace, a military barracks, home of the Torre do Tombo National Archive, and now as a national monument and museum.